Latest news with #MohammedVIMuseumofModernandContemporaryArt
Morocco World
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Morocco World
Morocco and Île-de-France Forge Bold Cultural Pact Around African Art
Rabat – Inside the halls of the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, Morocco and the Île-de-France Region took a decisive step toward reshaping the cultural map between Africa and Europe. On Monday, the two sides signed a declaration of intent that goes beyond formal partnership as it signals a shared vision to amplify contemporary African art on the global stage. The document, signed by Mehdi Qotbi, President of Morocco's National Foundation of Museums (FNM), and Valérie Pécresse, President of the Île-de-France Region, sets the tone for a collaboration anchored in action. At its core lies the upcoming Mediterranean exhibition, set to open the Cité de la Culture Africaine, Musée du Continent, a major cultural hub under development. But this partnership stretches far beyond a single event. Morocco and Île-de-France plan to exchange expertise on conservation practices, support acquisitions of African artworks, and design audience-centered educational programs for the new museum. A key component also includes the loan of works from the Île-de-France Regional Fund for Contemporary Art (Frac), bringing European collections into dialogue with African narratives. For Mehdi Qotbi, the moment carried deeper meaning. He described Morocco as a threshold to Africa and a corridor to Europe, geographically, culturally, and artistically. 'Art builds bridges where politics fall short,' he said. 'Welcoming Valérie Pécresse here is more than a diplomatic gesture, it's an encounter with the soul of Morocco and the promise of what Africa can bring to the world.' Pécresse echoed this spirit. With nearly a million residents of Moroccan descent in her region, she spoke of long-standing human and cultural ties that continue to shape Île-de-France's identity. Two of her vice-presidents are Franco-Moroccan, she noted, evidence, she said, of 'how deeply intertwined our stories already are.' The collaboration also places African artists at the center. Pécresse announced that the director of the Frac Île-de-France collection will serve as co-curator for the museum's opening exhibition. 'We bring our full support, our eyes, our networks, our commitment, to identifying and elevating the next generation of African artists,' she said. Before the signing, Pécresse and her delegation toured the museum's galleries. They paused before canvases by Moroccan contemporary artists and works by Tahar Ben Jelloun, the renowned Franco-Moroccan poet, novelist, and painter whose art speaks across boundaries. More than a symbolic gesture, the visit and agreement hint at a shift in the cultural axis. What begins in Rabat may soon echo from Paris to Dakar, from Casablanca to Marseille. The project isn't just about museums, it's about momentum. Tags: contemporary artMorocco ArtMorocco France ArtMorocco france ties
Morocco World
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Morocco World
Mohammed VI Museum in Rabat Exhibits ‘A Maze of Power'
Rabat — The Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat has opened a new exhibition titled 'A Maze of Power' by American artist Kehinde Wiley. Running until June 15, the exhibition presents a fresh look at African leadership, inviting visitors to reflect on the choices that shape both artists and their subjects. The exhibition, was previously showcased in Paris and Dakar, features eleven large portraits of African heads of state, reimagined through vibrant Pan-African aesthetics using wax fabrics and geometric patterns, which Wiley has been confidentially working on since 2012. The portraits, painted on four-meter-high canvases, blend European royal art postures with African symbolism, challenging traditional, euro-centric, views of power both 'beautifully and problematically.' Mehdi Qotbi, President of the National Museums Foundation, praised Wiley's work for its bold reimagining of classical portraits, offering a modern and thought-provoking perspective on power. Wiley himself explained that the exhibition aims to challenge the way black leaders have been portrayed in art history, questioning power as an artistic concept rather than simply glorifying individuals. 'Morocco is one of my favorite places in Africa, a cultural crossroads where tradition and modernity converge. I am honored to present my paintings here,' said the New York based artist in a press statement, expressing his admiration for Morocco as a cultural crossroads and explaining why he chose it as the location for opening the exhibition. The Black American artist is most famous for his depiction of former US President Barack Obama that was unveiled in 2018. The iconic depiction features Obama seated against a vibrant backdrop of greenery and symbolic flowers referring to Obama's heritage and the larger African-American experience. Tags: African culturearts in Morocco
Asharq Al-Awsat
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Artist Kehinde Wiley Puts Power in a New Frame with Paintings of African Leaders
American artist Kehinde Wiley unveiled a series of large-format portraits of African leaders in Morocco on Tuesday, building on his now famous 2018 portrait of former US President Barack Obama sitting casually amid a wild cascade of leaves and flowers. His exhibition, entitled "A Maze of Power," opened at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, Morocco's capital, after previously showing in Paris and Dakar, Senegal. The artwork borrows from classical easel painting techniques, posing African leaders in a style mainly associated with European royalty and aristocracy. "What I wanted to do was to draw ideas in, to be able to look at the depiction of power, both beautifully and problematically," Wiley said. In one portrait, Ethiopia's former president, Sahle-Work Zewde, stands before a window, her nation's bustling capital stretching behind her as her hand clasps a dangling flower. In another, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, former president of Madagascar, is depicted sitting confidently astride a horse. And Alassane Ouattara, president of Ivory Coast, is seen clenching his brow as he grips a sword in his right hand. "I was thinking about the presidency at large as a symbol, as a seat of power," Wiley told The Associated Press at the opening of his exhibition. "A Maze of Power" arrived in Morocco seven months after first showing at Paris' Musée du Quai Branly — Jacques Chirac. It's part of the Moroccan museum's efforts to become a hub for African art ahead of the next year's opening of the Museum of the African Continent, across the street in Rabat. Wiley said that after his Obama portrait, he was able to leverage his connections to gain audiences with leaders from across Africa and persuade them to sit for him. In addition to Obama's, the portraits also echo Wiley's earlier works, in which young Black men appear in poses most associated with paintings of kings and generals. Showing his would-be subjects a book full of classical paintings to draw inspiration from, Wiley said he prepares for painting by taking hundreds of photographs of each leader and then placing them in settings both real and abstract. Although he wanted to show political power, the leaders' individual political choices were not relevant to the series, Wiley said. Though Wiley said the role of some art can be to shed light on those affected by political decision-making, his goals were different. "This project is more about pulling way back and having a sort of bird's-eye view at the phenomena of the political portrait itself," he said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Artist Kehinde Wiley puts power in a new frame with paintings of African leaders
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — American artist Kehinde Wiley unveiled a series of large-format portraits of African leaders in Morocco on Tuesday, building on his now famous 2018 portrait of former U.S. President Barack Obama sitting casually amid a wild cascade of leaves and flowers. His exhibition, entitled 'A Maze of Power,' opened at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, Morocco's capital, after previously showing in Paris and Dakar, Senegal. The artwork borrows from classical easel painting techniques, posing African leaders in a style mainly associated with European royalty and aristocracy. 'What I wanted to do was to draw ideas in, to be able to look at the depiction of power, both beautifully and problematically,' Wiley said. In one portrait, Ethiopia's former president, Sahle-Work Zewde, stands before a window, her nation's bustling capital stretching behind her as her hand clasps a dangling flower. In another, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, former president of Madagascar, is depicted sitting confidently astride a horse. And Alassane Ouattara, president of Ivory Coast, is seen clenching his brow as he grips a sword in his right hand. 'I was thinking about the presidency at large as a symbol, as a seat of power,' Wiley told The Associated Press at the opening of his exhibition. 'A Maze of Power' arrived in Morocco seven months after first showing at Paris' Musée du Quai Branly — Jacques Chirac. It's part of the Moroccan museum's efforts to become a hub for African art ahead of the next year's opening of the Museum of the African Continent, across the street in Rabat. Wiley said that after his Obama portrait, he was able to leverage his connections to gain audiences with leaders from across Africa and persuade them to sit for him. In addition to Obama's, the portraits also echo Wiley's earlier works, in which young Black men appear in poses most associated with paintings of kings and generals. Showing his would-be subjects a book full of classical paintings to draw inspiration from, Wiley said he prepares for painting by taking hundreds of photographs of each leader and then placing them in settings both real and abstract. Although he wanted to show political power, the leaders' individual political choices were not relevant to the series, Wiley said. The leaders depicted include some marred by corruption scandals and others who ignored presidential term limits and repressed protestors. There are also two whose militaries are fighting each other in eastern Congo: Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi. Though Wiley said the role of some art can be to shed light on those affected by political decision-making, his goals were different. 'This project is more about pulling way back and having a sort of bird's-eye view at the phenomena of the political portrait itself,' he said.
The Independent
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Artist Kehinde Wiley puts power in a new frame with paintings of African leaders
American artist Kehinde Wiley unveiled a series of large-format portraits of African leaders in Morocco on Tuesday, building on his now famous 2018 portrait of former U.S. President Barack Obama sitting casually amid a wild cascade of leaves and flowers. His exhibition, entitled 'A Maze of Power,' opened at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rabat, Morocco's capital, after previously showing in Paris and Dakar, Senegal. The artwork borrows from classical easel painting techniques, posing African leaders in a style mainly associated with European royalty and aristocracy. 'What I wanted to do was to draw ideas in, to be able to look at the depiction of power, both beautifully and problematically,' Wiley said. In one portrait, Ethiopia's former president, Sahle-Work Zewde, stands before a window, her nation's bustling capital stretching behind her as her hand clasps a dangling flower. In another, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, former president of Madagascar, is depicted sitting confidently astride a horse. And Alassane Ouattara, president of Ivory Coast, is seen clenching his brow as he grips a sword in his right hand. 'I was thinking about the presidency at large as a symbol, as a seat of power,' Wiley told The Associated Press at the opening of his exhibition. 'A Maze of Power' arrived in Morocco seven months after first showing at Paris' Musée du Quai Branly — Jacques Chirac. It's part of the Moroccan museum's efforts to become a hub for African art ahead of the next year's opening of the Museum of the African Continent, across the street in Rabat. Wiley said that after his Obama portrait, he was able to leverage his connections to gain audiences with leaders from across Africa and persuade them to sit for him. In addition to Obama's, the portraits also echo Wiley's earlier works, in which young Black men appear in poses most associated with paintings of kings and generals. Showing his would-be subjects a book full of classical paintings to draw inspiration from, Wiley said he prepares for painting by taking hundreds of photographs of each leader and then placing them in settings both real and abstract. Although he wanted to show political power, the leaders' individual political choices were not relevant to the series, Wiley said. The leaders depicted include some marred by corruption scandals and others who ignored presidential term limits and repressed protestors. There are also two whose militaries are fighting each other in eastern Congo: Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi. Though Wiley said the role of some art can be to shed light on those affected by political decision-making, his goals were different. 'This project is more about pulling way back and having a sort of bird's-eye view at the phenomena of the political portrait itself,' he said.
